In most respects, ‘Mons 1914� is your usual Osprey Campaign booklet - the narrative provides essential information in well-structured format, the mapsIn most respects, ‘Mons 1914� is your usual Osprey Campaign booklet - the narrative provides essential information in well-structured format, the maps and graphics material are of excellent quality. Personally I find the author's claim for this operation to be a ‘tactical triumph� for one of the sides a bit cheeky. I also wish for the narrative to provide a bit more space to the controversy surrounding this campaign, especially regarding very bad relations between Sir John French and general Lanzerac and the impact they had on the events that followed.
‘Monz 1914� provides the essential facts about the campaign, but just barely. It glosses over most of the controversies surrounding this action and, at least in my opinion, puts a somewhat odd spin on the outcome of the engagement. It’s a decent starting point for a study of BEF’s experiences during the starting days of WWI, but I would suggest for the reader to find a ‘proper� history book for a more complete and nuanced picture. ...more
For quite some time now I’ve been of opinion that an Osprey Campaign booklet will always be a “good� read as long as certain criteria are fulfilled - For quite some time now I’ve been of opinion that an Osprey Campaign booklet will always be a “good� read as long as certain criteria are fulfilled - the topic must be of a set piece battle, the course of engagement need to be relatively uncomplicated and finally, the English/British must be the winning side. Battle of Salamanca fulfills all of the above criteria and thus, “Salamanca 1812� is one of the better offerings in this book series. :-)...more
In my personal opinion, there are few events in modern history of Europe that are as consistently bypassed or getting short shrift by western historiaIn my personal opinion, there are few events in modern history of Europe that are as consistently bypassed or getting short shrift by western historians as the German-Soviet invasion of Poland in September 1939. In English literature, its significance is limited to being the starting point for the world-wide cataclysm known as World War II and the first example of effectiveness of German “blitzkrieg� approach to warfare. In regard to the campaign itself, the most widely known “fact� about it should be regarded as the most persistent and longest lasting victory of Goebbels� propaganda machine � those foolish horse cavalry charges against German panzers� which never really happened.
This lazy and negligent attitude of western military historians, while hard to excuse, is at least understandable. The fact that the campaign of September 1939 seems to be similarly neglected by “native� historians is much harder to explain. Don’t get me wrong, plenty of books have been written by Polish historians about the invasion, especially over the last couple of decades. By now, the Polish book market is saturated by unit histories, personal memoirs and especially by books dedicated to specific events that took place during the campaign and earned their place in national mythology. Westerplatte, the stubborn stand at Mokra, defense of the capitol, Bzura counter-offensive - by now they are all covered in detail by Polish historians. But, surprising as it may seem, one is hard-pressed to find a single volume written in Polish which provides a detailed, multifaceted overview of the September 1939 campaign as a whole.
So, for me at least, publication of Robert Forczyk’s “Case White� was an event of uttermost importance and I’ve had extremely high expectations of this book. I am happy to report that it turned out to be exactly what I hoped for � an exceptionally detailed and thoughtful analysis of the entire campaign, with plenty of space given to all involved parties.
The book itself starts with a superb overview of the inter-war period of 1918-1939, which sets the conflict in question in proper context. Author’s breakdown of the political scene and evolution of the military forces in the fledgling state of Poland is a masterpiece all in its own right. Furthermore, for me personally it turned out to be a treasure trove of information of the “they didn’t teach me that in school�-kind.
Once the narrative reaches the period immediately before the outbreak of the hostilities, the author narrows his focus to military and technical issues faced by all parties involved in the conflict. The analysis in this part of the books covers military capabilities, organization and operational plans of respective sides. The author shows clearly that, as so often is the case in regard to military operations, the actual course of events was to a large extent decided by decisions taken during this time period. Here, Forczyk proves beyond any doubt in my mind that the German technological and numerary superiority wasn't the real cause of the cataclysmic and rapid nature of Poland's defeat. Naturally, those factors played a vital role, but their significance was amplified by grave flaws in plans and disposition of forces by the Polish high command.
Final part of the book is dedicated to the military conflict itself. Initial German assault was conducted along three major axes of advance and stretched over the period of 1-9 th September. Each of those operations is analyzed by Forczyk separately and in detail. Next, the narrative coalesces and handles the retreat of Polish forces toward Warszawa and the defense of the Polish capital itself. The only major Polish offensive action of the campaign � the counter-attack at Bzura river � is given special attention. The analysis of the campaign is concluded by coverage of Soviet advance into Polish territory and mopping up operations conducted by German forces during the last weeks of September.
In my opinion, the value of this book is twofold. First of all, it is to my best knowledge only the second book written in English language dedicated specifically to this topic. Based solely on that fact, “Case White� is a most welcome addition to my library. But, far more importantly, Forczyk’s no nonsense, purely analytical and strictly military approach to the subject matter is exactly what I wished for from this book. I believe that this book will be highly appreciated by anyone interested in this campaign in particular and World War 2 in general and recommend it without any reservations....more
There are a multitude of books dedicated to development of air power during World War I and frankly, most of them are nothing but a generic regurgitatThere are a multitude of books dedicated to development of air power during World War I and frankly, most of them are nothing but a generic regurgitation of stories already told dozens of times. “Siły powietrzne w I wojnie światowej'' is not one of those books. On the contrary, I would say that it is a rather unique book and a valuable contribution to the subject matter, for one very simple reason � it covers not only the Western Front, but also the conflict between Germany and Russia and air forces of Austro-Hungary, Italy, Romania and Greece. I may be wrong, but I don’t think that a book with this wide scope has yet been written in English.
“Siły powietrzne w I wojnie światowej'' isn't the easiest book to get through. Large parts of its content can only be described as reference material. Getting through those pages was as fun as chewing on dry bone. But the narrative part was absolutely priceless for me. Being able to learn about the fates of air forces of nations that are completely overlooked in English history books was simply a fun read. Author’s unique analysis of technological, organizational and operational development of air forces of “major� nations was not only "fun", but constitutes an excellent argument against the commonly held opinion that World War I was nothing but four long years of bloody stalemate.
I think it’s a real shame that the effort of the author of this book will never gain the recognition it deserves, simply because the language he used is “wrong�. “Siły powietrzne w I wojnie światowej'' is an excellent contribution to litterature about this subject matter and I am very happy I could read it....more
Oh my... this one was dry and to the point even when compared with other Osprey Campaign booklets. The authors really did stuck to the pre-scripted foOh my... this one was dry and to the point even when compared with other Osprey Campaign booklets. The authors really did stuck to the pre-scripted formula of the series and put together a volume where text content can only be regarded as a primer and nothing but a primer.
Luckily, Yorktow 1781 is also a typical Osprey Campaign booklet in every other respect. And therefore, where it lacks in depth in regard of the narrative, it more than makes up in graphical content. Maps, full color illustrations, contemporary art reproduction plates and photographies taken at location - they all provide wonderful reference material for further studies.
It's most rectainly not the most exciting book I've ever picked up. But it does serve the intended purpose as a basic overview of the final campaign of American War of Independence....more
As long as you like to read about knights/warlords/thugs/adventurers and their adventures, this book will be an entertaining read for you. The author As long as you like to read about knights/warlords/thugs/adventurers and their adventures, this book will be an entertaining read for you. The author brings various Norman knights and nobles to life with ease and flair equal to that of the best novelists and provides “historical� entertainment in spades.
Unfortunately, it fails to provide much else and therein, undeniably unjustly so, rests my lingering disappointment with this book. For a reader picking up this volume in hope of finding a deeper analysis of the phenomenon of Normans and an explanation for why they had such deep impact on contemporary Europe, finding out that this book is but an anthology of cool stories about knights may be something of a letdown. ...more
Let me start by saying that I regard Barbara Tuchman as one of great western historians of past century. Her 'A Distant Mirror' is one of my favorite Let me start by saying that I regard Barbara Tuchman as one of great western historians of past century. Her 'A Distant Mirror' is one of my favorite books of all times, while the only fault with her 'Guns of August' is that it doesn't continue on beyond autumn 1914.
But 'The First Salute'... despite the fact that the brilliance of Tuchman's litterary talent is there, there is something with this book that simply doesn't click for me. This book consists of three clearly demarked parts - Holland's involvment in American Revolution, Rodney's career and France's decisive role in that fateful last campaign of Revolution. I can understand what the author tried to do here and I can only applaud her 'thinking outside the box'... but unfortunately, the individual pieces don't quite fit together into a coherent whole and this book really does suffer from it.
It's still a great read, if for no other reason then because it pokes some holes in 'mythology' of American Revolution. And yes, even with its flawed structure, 'The First Salute' is a great history book. It's just not on same level as author's other books I've read, and this fact alone made me feel a little disapointed....more
Over last thirty years or so, military history books written or translated into English have constituted a major part of literature that I like to reaOver last thirty years or so, military history books written or translated into English have constituted a major part of literature that I like to read. No matter how hard I try, I cannot recollect reading a book in that genre that seems as quintessentially ‘English� as “Duel of Eagles�. Written only 30 years after the legend of Battle of Britain took shape, by a man who actually led one of RAF squadrons into battle against Luftwaffe, it is filled to brim by English patriotism, stiff upper lip and absolute and unreserved pride in the achievement of ‘the few�. And rightfully so!
The passion and emotional engagement of the author makes this volume into very engaging and surprisingly compassionate read. The human aspect of the story told in this book is very tangible, often painfully so. In my opinion therein lies the main strength of this book - the reader gets sincere, frequently uncomfortable insight into the psyche of the young men who did their best to kill each other in French and British skies that fateful summer of 1940. Sense of duty that drove them, exhilaration of combat and joy of surviving yet another day, constant fear of being maimed or burned to death, the utter exhaustion, sorrow over friends lost often in front of ones eyes and quite often pure disgust over the constant slaughter of both friend and foe � this odd mix of emotions is perfectly depicted by author and leaves a very poignant, lasting imprint on reader’s mind.
As so often is the case though, the strength of this book is also its greatest weakness. The strong feelings of the author get in the way of providing a truely objective analysis of the ‘big picture�. In this respect, the book clearly retells the ‘lore� of Battle of Britain rather than its history. If the reader is interested in ‘proper� analysis of early history of RAF and Luftwaffe and especially the operational analysis of Battle of Britain, it must be said that there is a multitude of better choices that this volume. “Duel of Eagles� should be regarded as what it is � a beautiful and thoughtful acknowledgement of bravery and ultimate sacrifice of young men wasted in a deadly conflict that never should have happened in the first place....more
One of better installments in Osprey Campaign cycle, to a large degree because of the simple fact that battle at Pavia somehow fits like a glove into One of better installments in Osprey Campaign cycle, to a large degree because of the simple fact that battle at Pavia somehow fits like a glove into standardized and formulaic format used in publications that are part of this series.
As always, the booklet starts of with short overview of overall situation and introduction to major personalities playing major role in the events. Next, the reader is briskly walked through the campaign which leads to the battle. The battle in this case is a relatively simple affair and can be analysed in depth. The narrative is supported by significant amount of contemporary graphics materials and decent maps.
I doubt that people already familiar with history of Italian Wars will find this volume very exciting. I however am pretty much unfamiliar with this topic and found this volume (as well as the one dedicated to battle at Fornovo) quite interesting.
Short introduction to Napoleon's legendary Imperial Guard. Severly limited by space limitations, this little volume provides short overview of Guard'sShort introduction to Napoleon's legendary Imperial Guard. Severly limited by space limitations, this little volume provides short overview of Guard's expansion from couple of battalions to a powerful corps and even shorter descriptions of individual units. Rest of the volume is commited to uniformology details. The quality of graphics material is, as almost always in case of publications from Osprey, top notch. However, in this particular case I'm not convinced that the dynamic topics in several of color plates really were the best choice for this particular volume. More static, detailed pictures displaying details of the uniforms would probably be better, considering the material in this volume.
Overall, I'd consider this volume first and foremost a reference work on Guard's uniforms....more
I’ve spent last hour or so trying to formulate a glowing review of “Guns at Last Light� and to my surprise, it is a bit of a struggle! I really enjoyeI’ve spent last hour or so trying to formulate a glowing review of “Guns at Last Light� and to my surprise, it is a bit of a struggle! I really enjoyed this book immensely and I think that it is in every respect a worthy final part of a superb trilogy covering United States part in World War II in Africa and Europe. I am full of admiration for author’s narrative style � Rick Atkinson manages to retell the military history of these final months of war in the West, while never allowing the reader to forget what price those grand and tragic events required from very real people.
And yet, there is something that stops me from giving this book an unreserved accolade Perhaps it’s its somewhat self-congratulatory tone � after all, the end of the war didn’t mean liberation for all nations of Europe. Or perhaps it’s its final chapters which make us believe that yes indeed, the good guys won and the bad guys lost! Was it what really what happened? Without taking anything away from author’s overall achievement, I must admit that the “black and white� conclusions presented in the final chapters do disturb me and cast a slight shadow over this book and the trilogy as a whole. ...more
And so, it was time for working my way through yet another bag of pop-corn... eh, I mean Osprey's Campaigns volume. :-)
Nicolle is one of Osprey's veteAnd so, it was time for working my way through yet another bag of pop-corn... eh, I mean Osprey's Campaigns volume. :-)
Nicolle is one of Osprey's veteran writers. As such, he knows the drill and sticks to the tried and proven formula of Campaign series. The volume starts with an overview of political and military situation in Italy at the time of the conflict. Next, he proceeds with a setup for the battle itself. Commanders, troops, situation and manouvres before the clash of arms are dealt with in brisk tempo. Next, the battle itself is dealt with in a space of ten or so pages. The book closes with an analysis of the consequences of the battle and its aftermatch. This part is somewhat longer and in-depth than in other Campaign volumes. All this in a bit over 90 pages consisting of condensed narrative and supported by usual top-notch graphics material in form of excellent maps and black and white photos relevant to the conflict.
As a primer, this particular volume is a bit of a mixed bag. The actual campaign is dealt with in sufficient detail. It has however a weak spot. Usually in this series, setting the battle that is the topic of the volume seems to be the easiest task for the author. Here, Nicolle fails to do this in my opinion. The reason for this failure is however very simple - political landscape of Italy in late XIV:th century makes the politics of, let's say War of The Roses, seem like a straight-forward affair. It is therefore hardly surprising that Nicolle is incapable of providing sufficient description of the Machiavellian conditions that existed in Italy during that period, given the restrictions of the format of the publication.
As so often is the case with booklets from Osprey, this volume is a nice starting point for further studies and its graphics are worth the price all on their own. But if reader wishes to really understand the nature and significance of this particular battle, further study is required....more
Fourth volume in Will Durant’s monumental work, entitled ‘Age of faith� deals with the period roughly between 4th and 12th century. The title of this Fourth volume in Will Durant’s monumental work, entitled ‘Age of faith� deals with the period roughly between 4th and 12th century. The title of this book, or rather a trilogy of books, is quite suitable, as the Christian Church is in the center of its focus from the beginning to the end.
The scope of ‘Age of faith� is quite incredible. The author starts with the ‘barbarian� invasions of fourth century. He then guides us through the so called fall of Roman Empire, gives the proper acknowledgment to the Constantinople and Byzantine empire’s legacy, before proceeding into real age of faith, or if one’s to be strict, into the age of three faiths � Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Once the introduction of those three religions is accomplished (somewhere at the end of the first third of the book), the author proceeds with the real task of this volume � a narrative of a world in turmoil emerging from chaos to order with help of these three monotheistic religions. Each of those is given its due, but Christianity and Christian Church are definitely in the center of Durant’s story.
Author’s writing style, choice of course in his narrative and clarity of thought are as stellar as in previous volumes of this work. Perhaps even more so - the ‘story lines� are here so many and interwoven with each much more complexity than during age of Greece or Roman Empire. And yet, somehow, Durant still delivers a coherent and multi-faceted narrative of this utterly chaotic period called dark and medieval ages. And he does it in his usual superb writing style, which is a true joy to enjoy for any reader.
It must at the same time perhaps be said that the wide scope of this volume may be too ambitious. The author tries to cover so many topics over such enormous stretch of time. As a result, even his immense skill with word fails at times and the reader finds himself at times bombarded with a litany of names, dates, places and ideas at a tempo impossible to absorb by ‘mere mortal�. Personally, I found myself zoning out when reaching these parts of ‘Age of faith� and there are quite few of them along the way. As a result, ‘Age of faith� is perhaps the least enjoyable read in the series so far for me. In retrospect, perhaps tackling this volume one part at a time with a ‘pallet cleanser� in-between would be a good idea. ...more
With extremy fond memories of masterpieces such as 'Eye of the needle' and 'Pillars of the Earth' in the back of my head, I was actually quite excitedWith extremy fond memories of masterpieces such as 'Eye of the needle' and 'Pillars of the Earth' in the back of my head, I was actually quite excited when I started listening to Follet's 'next grand historical epos'. Unfortunately, my high expectations weren't met and I can't help but feel disapointed and somewhat cheated.
My primary issue with 'Fall of Giants' is that the author seems to take in it the path of least resistance on so many different levels, rendering this book into a predictable and slightly boring game of 'connect historical events in a single plot'. We start of by introduction of several characters strategically placed in different geographical locations and in different social classes. Despite the differences, all characters share certain traits - all are competent, all are likeable and after a while the reader realizes that no matter what, they will somehow get through whatever challenges fate hurdles in their way. Next release them into the river of history and steer them toward the key historical events, so that author can cover this or that 'spot'. Once I've realized the 'rules of the game' applied to the plot of this book, all tension and anticipation evaporated from the reading experience.
Also, what the heck is up with all the sex scenes in this book, did Ken Follet turn into a 'dirty old man' or did someone tell him that sex will sell more volumes? Mind you, I don't mind the characters having a bit of fun in the sack, but for crying out loud, when sex seems to be the primary concern of everyone in the book that is supposed to tell a grand historical tale, the whole thing becomes a bit embarassing after couple of hundred of pages.
Sorry, but for someone who hoped for another 'Pillars of the Earth', this volume is a bit of a letdown....more
'Seminal' is such a tired platitude when it comes to history books, but on certain occasions it is impossible to refrain from using it. Having read th'Seminal' is such a tired platitude when it comes to history books, but on certain occasions it is impossible to refrain from using it. Having read third volume of Charles Oman's 'History of Peninsular War', I am quite convinced that this great narrative of the French attempt to subdue Spain during reign of Napoleon I is one such occasion. Pretty much everything about this book is 'perfect' for a military history buff.
The 'meat' of this work, the military operations are described very competently and with truly great detail, with author providing excellent analysis for the reasons for decisions that were taken, the course of actions and the outcomes. This in itself is perhaps not surprising, considering the fact that 'History of Peninsular War' stretches over seven sizeable volumes. What may however come as a surprise that this detailed and potentially very dry story is written in entertaining and witty style that still feels fresh over hundred years after it's been put on paper! That in itself is in my opinion sufficient to call this work both 'seminal' and a 'classic'.
I am quite happy over the fact that I've stumbled over this first volume of history of the Plantagenets, for a very simple reason - the author was an I am quite happy over the fact that I've stumbled over this first volume of history of the Plantagenets, for a very simple reason - the author was an extraordinaly gifted story-teller and "The Conquering Family" is a delightful read. As long as you allow author's 'let me tell you a story' approach to draw you in and just enjoy the vivid and colorful narrative about kings, princes and princesses, popes and noble knigts, you're in for a treat.
At the same time, a word of warning must be issued - while the author certainly succeeds in transfering the reader to a rather glorified version of feudal England and his personal views are worth considering, it should also be remembered that this is not an academic work of history in modern sense of the concept....more
To my best knowledge, there are very few books in english dealing with Algerian war of independence and 'A Savage War of Peace' seems to be regarded aTo my best knowledge, there are very few books in english dealing with Algerian war of independence and 'A Savage War of Peace' seems to be regarded as THE book to read by an english-speaking person. Having just done that, I understand this opinion and support it to one hundred percent. It is indeed a superb single volume overview of an extremly complex conflict. Indeed, I would go as far as saying that it's one of the best works of such type that I've ever had the pleasure to read.
In a little over 600 pages the author covers the war and its aftermatch in detail on military, political, social and economical plane, from French, Pied-Noir and FLN:s perspective. This is done in slow, methodical and deligtfully unrushed manner, allowing the reader to both absorb the information and actually enjoy the book for its literary sake (if 'enjoyment' is the right word, considering the gruesome topic of 'Savage War of Peace'). Equally noteworthy is author's almost tangible effort to stay objective throughout the narrative, despite the sometimes absolute horror of atrocities commited on all sides in this conflict. Horne doesn't condemn, doesn't rant, he observes. The only exception in this regard is author's apparent lack of symphaty for OAS and its actions, which he clearly regards as utterly pointless from begining to the bitter end. But even here, he tries to explain the viciousness of OAS:s activities based on rational evaluation of the situation its members found themselves in and doesn't allow emotions to take over.
Many of today's historians could learn a thing or two from Alistair Horne's approach to a topic in this book.
One often hears 'If there is one book you'll read about xyz, it should be this one!'. In my opinion, 'A Savage War of Peace' is one of few books that actually deserves to be recommended with such unrestrained accolades. If for no other reasons, because there are no other books in english dedicated to this particular conflict. But even if there were any, I can't imagine they would surpass Mr. Horne's seminal work.
As a little sidebar, allow me to digress a bit and comment about comparisons made by many reviewers between the conflict covered by this book and the events that took place in Middle East over last decade or so. In my opinion, if you're interested in this book because you heard about similarities between Franco-Algerian conflict and wars in Iraq/Afghanistan/Syria/Libya/Yemen, then a) you have been misinformed and b) you will be disapointed with this volume. 'Savage War of Peace' will not provide the answers to the questions nor solutions to the problems we're wrestling with today. War in Algerian was prosecuted by a national movement demanding independence from a colonial power, which in turn regarded Algeria as integral part of its 'empire'. Sectarian frictions and extremist voilence that followed was based on the fact that the French minority was present and settled in Algerian for over hundred years as well as its active surpression of local population, which in turn was based on racial prejudices. Add to the mix the fact that even few of the French military units, the Legion being the most prominent one, regarded Algeria and not France as its home. None of these factors are present in U.S.A:s/NATO:s current envolvement in Middle East and that observation alone should automatically make void any conclusions about our current 'troubles' based on French experience in Algeria. If one is to insist on using Franco-Algerian conflict and Mr. Horne's book as a 'lesson' to us in general and our leaders in particular, then the only valid point of interest should in my opinion be the one regarding local collaborators. Local people who choose to help us at the very real risk to their personal safety and that of their families should not be forgotten and be helped by us in turn when we decide to leave! Otherwise we're condemning them to share the fate of Algerian harkis and what happened to them was simply disgraceful....more
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